Just before the release of THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING film, we attended a knights-in-training session at Xavier High School to help my son learn more about "The Knights Code".

Note: I was invited as media to the movie screening and knight-in-training event. However any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

During the training my son would learn Swordsmanship, Magic Lessons and other skills important for a knight. You can imagine how excited my son was to start his lessons.

My son joined other tween boys and girls to learn how to hold and use a sword, then to take the "The Knights Code"

Honor Those You Love – A knight shows gratitude and admiration for the people in their community.

Refrain From Wanton Offense – A knight must only use his/her strength for good through acts of chivalry and kindness.

Speak the Truth At All Times – A Knight never tells a lie and is a trustworthy and reliable member of the community.

Persevere In Any Enterprise Until The End – A Knight never quits. Even when it’s tough, they follow through until the end.

Once my son was Knighted, then it was time to learn magic! There was water tricks, card tricks and fire! While it was all cool to learn, I firmly insisted to the magician that the fire trick remain a secret till my son was older. The magician understood. HA!

Now that my son had some skills under his belt, it was time to see if he was worthy. So we made a special journey to FAO Schwarz, where there was a special THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING display.

Along with other kids (and adults), my son tried to see if he was worthy of pulling the sword from the stone. Watch the video to see him in action.

After training all day, my son was found worthy and I became mom to a young knight ready for action. By Merlin's beard!

We enjoyed both a day of knight training and the story-line of "The Kid Who Would Be King" so we can't wait for it to release on 4K Ultra-HD, Blu-ray and DVD on April 16.

SYNOPSIS

Old school magic meets the modern world in the epic family-friendly adventure, The Kid Who Would Be King. Alex thinks he’s just another nobody, getting bullied at school and told what to do by his teachers, until he stumbles upon the mythical Sword in the Stone, Excalibur.

Now, with the help of the legendary wizard Merlin, he must unite his friends and school yard enemies into an allied band of knights to defeat the wicked enchantress Morgana. With the future at stake, Alex must become the great leader he never dreamed he could be and save the world.

For Star Wars loving families, all the fun of a galaxy far far away has been brought closer with the early opening for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park in California on May 31 and at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida on Aug. 29.

photo credit: Disney Parks

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will open in two stages. Why? In light of tremendous demand, Disney made the decision to open the land sooner in phases so guests can enjoy the one-of-a-kind experiences that make Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge so spectacular.

On opening day for phase one: Guests will be transported to the remote planet of Batuu, full of unique sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Guests can become part of the story as they sample galactic food and beverages, explore an intriguing collection of merchant shops and take the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Opening later this year for phase two: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, will be the most ambitious, immersive and advanced attraction ever imagined, which will place guests in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance and will blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

Play Disney Parks Mobile App Interaction

Once guests step foot on Batuu, they will be part of the action as it unfolds around them, and their interactions with the Play Disney Parks mobile app* will deepen their engagement with the land. They may choose to aid a smuggler, join the Resistance or pledge their loyalty to the First Order.

When guests use the app, it will provide new opportunities for them to engage with the land, such as translating a galactic language, learning what's hidden inside crates and containers, or accomplishing certain tasks by participating in missions.

Guests also can use the Play Disney Parks app to interact with a variety of elements in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, such as droids, ships, media screens, door panels and antenna arrays.

This depth of storytelling is part of the total immersion that will distinguish the two, 14-acre lands – the largest and most technologically advanced single-themed land expansions ever in a Disney park – from any other themed land in history.

But really, what kind of specific activities does this experience have to offer for families?

photo credit: David Roark/Disney Parks

At Savi's Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers, guests can customize and craft their very own lightsabers. In this mystical experience, guests will feel the Force as they build these elegant weapons from a more civilized age.

The Droid Depot will invite guests to construct their own astromech droids. Pick pieces and parts off a conveyor belt to build one of two core models (R-series or BB-series) and customize your droids with various parts and colors. These droids will be capable of interacting with elements in the land. Additional programming chips and accessories can be added to further customize these new friends. In addition, the Droid Depot will offer pre-built droids, droid-inspired products and more.

Set to open at Disneyland Resort on May 31 and at Walt Disney World Resort on Aug. 29, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, will take guests into the cockpit of "the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy." They will take the controls of the Falcon in one of three unique and critical roles as the ship hurtles through space. Some will be pilots, some gunners and some flight engineers, creating multiple ways for guests to experience the attraction

Set to open later this year, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance places guests right in the middle of the Rebellion and gives them an active role in the fight against the First Order, including a faceoff with Kylo Ren. Their journey takes them inside a full-size starship and aboard a nearby Star Destroyer.

In addition to these special experiences, the Black Spire Outpost market will feature the Creature Stall dedicated to the plethora of rare and fascinating creatures that populate the galaxy, as well as Black Spire Outfitters, showcasing the latest in accessories. Guests will also find the Toydarian Toymaker, a stall full of toys crafted by a Toydarian (the flying alien species first seen in "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace").

What about FOOD?! Families have to eat!

photo credit: David Roark/Disney Parks

A Diverse Menu of Food and Beverages Await

What does Blue Milk actually taste like? That question and more will be answered when guests visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and experience the new land's expansive array of food and beverages.

Guests will walk through a bustling street market, where vendors offer various local delicacies, including an Outpost Mix of uniquely flavored popped grains from Kat Saka's Kettle, a unique popcorn snack with a combination of sweet, savory and spicy flavors.

At Oga's Cantina, even the blaster-bolt scorches on the walls tell a story. Here, guests will gather to share their tales from around the galaxy as they enjoy exotic beverages served in unique vessels and listen to spirited musical entertainment provided by DJ R-3X, otherwise known as Rex, the former Starspeeder 3000 pilot droid from the original Star Tours. Rex re-invents himself as the cantina's DJ, and he's as quirky and talkative as ever.

A multi-purpose transport shuttle docked on top of a large hangar will beckon guests into Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, a designated location for traveling food shuttles. Chef Strono "Cookie" Tuggs is in much demand for his culinary skills, so he moves from site to site in a modified Sienar-Chall Utilipede-Transport that becomes a mobile kitchen and restaurant. He is proud to present Tuggs' Grub, a "traveling diner for diners traveling," inspired by dishes he created during his time working for Maz Kanata on Takodana.

In the Black Spire Outpost market, Ronto Roasters will draw attention from passersby with its large podracing engine firing up a barbecue pit for mouth-watering Ronto Wraps. When hungry customers queue up to order, they will encounter a former smelter droid, carefully turning the spit of meats. Guests will also be able to choose from a variety of exotic non-alcoholic drinks like the Sour Sarlacc or Tatooine Sunset.

Elsewhere in the market, the Milk Stand will offer two local favorites – Blue Milk and Green Milk. Blue Milk was first seen in "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" when Luke Skywalker sat down for a family meal. Green Milk was introduced in "Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi."

How to plan your visit

Guests planning to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park between May 31 and June 23, 2019, will need valid theme park admission and will be required to make a no-cost reservation, subject to availability, to access the land.

Guests staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels during these dates will receive a designated reservation to access Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge during their stay (one reservation per registered guest); valid theme park admission is required.

Information on how to make a reservation will be available at a later date on Disney Parks Blog and www.Disneyland.com.

More details about Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will be released in the coming months. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.DisneyParksBlog.com and www.StarWars.com

For Star Wars loving families, all the fun of a galaxy far far away has been brought closer with the early opening for Star Wars: Galaxy'...

THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL, musical adaption of the New York Times best-selling novel written by Rick Riordan, will play the Beacon Theatre March 28 – 31.

As a son of Poseidon, Percy has newly discovered powers he can’t control, monsters on his trail, and is on an epic quest to find Zeus’s lightning bolt to prevent a war between the gods. THE LIGHTNING THIEF is an action-packed theatrical adventure.

I've partnered with MSG to share this special discount code: BLOG to Save up to 25% on tickets!*

THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL has a Drama Desk nominated book by Joe Tracz, music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, and is directed by Stephen Brackett, with choreography by Patrick McCollum, with set design by Lee Savage, costume design by Sydney Maresca, lighting design by David Lander, Obie award winning sound design by Ryan Rumery, fight direction by Rod Kinter and orchestrations by Wiley DeWeese and Rob Rokicki. The production is being presented by special arrangement with Rick Riordan and the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency.

Nintendo is entering the virtual reality world with their upcoming Nintendo Labo: VR Kit (available April 12), which combines physical and digital gameplay with basic VR technology that works with the Nintendo Switch system. Now families can create shareable experiences together – including everything from an alien invasion to in-game ocean photography and much more.

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit encourages passing around the different Toy-Con creations among a group of people to create a shared virtual experience. Players can simply slip the Nintendo Switch system into the Toy-Con VR Goggles and hold it up to their eyes to explore numerous games and experiences.

The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be available in two configurations with optional expansion packs available for purchase.

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Starter Set + Blaster (SRP $39.99): Includes the Nintendo Switch software, plus all the components to build the Toy-Con VR Goggles and Toy-Con Blaster, as well as the Screen Holder and Safety Cap. The Starter Set is a great entry point into the world of Nintendo Labo VR.

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit (SRP $79.99): Includes the Nintendo Switch software and materials to build all six Toy-Con projects – the Toy-Con VR Goggles, Toy-Con Blaster, Toy-Con Camera, Toy-Con Bird, Toy-Con Wind Pedal and Toy-Con Elephant – as well as a Screen Holder and Safety Cap. It’s a good option for kids and families who want to dive in to the full experience.

Players that own the Starter Set can purchase the following optional expansion sets to expand their experience:

Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Expansion Set 1**(SRP $19.99): Includes the Toy-Con Elephant and Toy-Con Camera. *Users can easily turn off the VR feature and use the included Screen Holder instead of the VR Goggles to enjoy any of the included games and experiences in 2D.

The inventive Toy-Con Garage mode – included as part of all Nintendo Labo software – returns with Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, offering basic programming tools for players to experiment with. More information about the experiences offered by Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be revealed in the future.

The Nintendo Labo: VR Kit – Starter Set + Blaster and complete Nintendo Labo: VR Kit will be in stores on April 12. The two expansion sets will be available exclusively online at www.store.nintendo.com

Nintendo Switch features parental controls that manages the content
children can access. For more information about other features, visit
www.nintendo.com/switch

For more information about Nintendo Labo: VR Kit, visit www.labo.nintendo.com/kits/vr-kit

Nintendo is entering the virtual reality world with their upcoming Nintendo Labo: VR Kit (available April 12), which combines physical and ...

La MaMa Kids is an affordable and wildly popular family series, which features a line-up of interactive productions to teach theatre crafts through workshops, that encourage imaginative play and hands-on learning.

Held monthly, La MaMa Kids is fun for the whole family, and a complete list of details on the season can be found below:

While You Are Out

Saturday, March 23 at 2pm and Sunday, March 24 at Noon
By Sova Theater Rod and shadow puppets by Justin Perlman & Adelka Polak

While You Are Out lands audiences in the heart of Shakespeare’s imagination as woven into Midsummer Night’s Dream where the fairies and sprites along with their king & queen play tricks on each other or anyone else who may find themselves wandering through the forest past dark.

This performance invites audiences to come both ready to dance and dressed as fairies, sprites and woodland creatures. Crystal Cymbalogy will create magical rhythms for our feet and wings. Come help to bring the forest to life at La MaMa as we dive into our dreams here among the trees, winged creatures and tricksters.

The Three Dolls

A modern American musical folktale
Sunday, March 31 at 1pm
Saturday, April 6 at Noon
Sunday, April 7 at 1pm

By Jane Catherine Shaw
Music by Clayton Daniel Briggs
Lyrics by Molly Reisman

Ziv, Hermione and Pippa are three dolls living in the dark. The sun should be up by now, but for some reason, it’s still pitch black. Through friendship, puppetry, songs and musical riddles, join us in an adventure to help the three dolls on their quest to turn darkness into light, and to make the world a brighter place for all of us to live.

La MaMa Kids: La MaMa Moves! Dance Workshop

Saturday, May 18 at Noon
Directed by: Dan Safer

In this workshop, participants will explore the basics of contact improvisation and dancing with a partner: moving up and down from the floor, rolling around, and even choreographed lifts. Sharing weight, balancing, connecting to other people, connecting to the floor. Making sure what we do is focused, fun, and surprising.

Dan Safer is a director, choreographer, performer, and teacher. He is the Artistic Director of Witness Relocation, an internationally recognized dance/theater company known in NYC as one of the “ensembles who now lead the city’s progressive theater scene” (Village Voice), and the recipients of three New York Innovative Theater Awards.

Family Play Date

Sunday, June 9, at Noon

Hosted by Richard Ebihara & Perry Yung, of Slant Performance Group, Family Play Date is a fun-filled magical and humorous cabaret performance embracing dance, music, and theatre, that is a unique event for the whole family.

Richard Ebihara & Perry Yung, founders of Slant Performance Group, ingeniously fuses puppetry, guitars, percussion, voice, and bamboo flutes into dynamic, engaging storytelling. Performances are an exciting tapestry of original live music interwoven with social satire.

BOX OFFICE:

Curated by Denise Greber, La MaMa Kids will conduct the workshops and performances at La MaMa’s The Downstairs Theatre (66 East 4th Street) in Manhattan.

When I wrote my review for Ralph Breaks the Internet, one of the points I highlighted was "Ralph and Vanellope have completely different points of view when it came to the internet". I can say the same for parents and children. I know it is for me and my son.

While my son is like Vanellope and has a "do all the things" type of view while being online, I tend to be Ralph-like and more "selective" with my internet usage. Why? Because while the internet of things is wonderful, if not used responsibly, it can quickly become an unsafe environment.

As a parent who's trying to manage how my son uses the internet, the news that Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Ralph Breaks the Internet is collaborating with Google’s Be Internet Awesome program to encourage the fundamentals of digital citizenship and online safety for kids is exciting.

Ralph Breaks the Internet | "We Are In The Internet" Clip

Like Ralph and Vanellope in Ralph Breaks the Internet, kids can find themselves in tricky situations when navigating the Web. So parents needs ways to help their children learn how to explore the online world with confidence....and safety.

To help me open a "internet safety" conversation with my son, I downloaded and printed the "Be Internet Brave and Strong" activity sheets. Being a tween, he's starting to use the internet as a social tool, so these two printable will guide him to keep his info safe and know what to do when something online is "inappropriate"

While I used these with my son, you can use any of these "Be Internet Awesome and Ralph Breaks the Internet" themed resources, including internet safety tips, downloadable activity sheets, and more.

To learn more, visit - www.beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/families

About Be Internet Awesome

Be Internet Awesome is Google’s multifaceted program designed to teach kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety so they can explore the online world with confidence. The free program is available in English and Spanish and consists of an ISTE standards aligned curriculum, ready-made Pear Decks for each lesson, Interland - an adventure-packed online game about digital safety and citizenship, and a family guide for families to continue the conversation at home.

In the hilarious, high speed sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, besties Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope risk it all by traveling to the expansive, fast-paced world of the internet in an attempt to save Vanellope’s game Sugar Rush. They’re in way over their heads, so they must rely on the citizens of the internet—including Yesss, the head algorithm and heart and soul of the trend-making site BuzzzTube, and Shank, a tough-as-nails driver from the gritty online auto-racing game, Slaughter Race—to help them navigate their way.

Ralph Breaks the Internet is now available instantly on Digital 4K Ultra HD/HD/SD and Movies Anywhere and physically on Blu-ray and DVD.

When you think of superheroes, a certain standard comes to mind. But really superheros can be anyone. Which is how it should be, and why I took my son to see Jeffrey Veregge exhibit 'Of Gods and Heroes' at National Museum of the American Indian (NYC).

Besides being wonderfully colorful and featuring some of our favorite Marvel Superheroes (wakanda forever!), 'Of Gods and Heroes' introduces the viewers to American Indian themes and cultural graphics. Which I always think more people should know about.

The 'Of Gods and Heroes' exhibition features a new narrative creation by the Salish artist known for his bold blend of Northwest Coast formline and pop-culture figures. This site-specific work will include an epic battle between Marvel characters and aliens invading the streets of New York City.

The heroes are portrayed using traditional tribal motifs and phrases from the S’Klallam language.

“For thousands of years, Native and non-Native storytellers have used art as a means to share the tales of their people,” Veregge said. “For me, I am simply carrying on a tradition that started with my ancestors by using the means of today, and all its modern conveniences, to share the tales that I love. Art evolves, artist tools advance, but the essence of what I do is the same as those who created with the canvases nature provided to tell the stories of gods and heroes long, long ago.”

“Jeffrey Veregge: Of Gods and Heroes” opens Friday, Oct. 6, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center in New York. It will be on view through Oct. 13, 2019.

The exhibit itself isn't very large. It's just along two walls but I think it offers so much to look at, think about and discuss. My son enjoyed seeing the exhibit along with checking out the rest of the exhibits and activities inside the museum.

The National Museum of the American Indian has lots of family friends exhibits and programs including

Cultural advocate and Garifuna historian James Lovell celebrates his Afro-Indigenous heritage in concert. Joined by dynamic percussionists and dancers, Lovell offers his knowledge and talent through music and conversation in honor of Black History Month. This concert is presented in partnership with the Smithsonian Latino Center

Exploring Art + Technology Labs are hands-on workshops focused on Indigenous innovations. Join us in the imagiNATIONS Activity Center every first and third Saturday of the month to tinker, make, learn, and create! Recommended for ages 9 and up. Themes and projects change every month. Please check our website for updates.

In this family-friendly, interactive space, visitors of all ages can explore Native scientific discoveries and inventions so ingenious many continue to affect the modern world. This exploration is made even more fun by solving puzzles, performing experiments, and playing computer simulations.

Culture Connections - Second floor galleries
Monday–Friday, 2–4 p.m.

Touch, investigate, inquire and learn. Objects and images tell profound stories. Join Cultural Interpreters as they share objects and narratives in our galleries. Gain a deeper understanding of history, culture and art from hundreds of Indigenous nations in North, Central and South America

A museum ambassador provides visitors a tour of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, home of the George Gustav Heye Center—the National Museum of the American Indian in New York. Tour highlights include a discussion of the history of the site, information about architect Cass Gilbert and viewings of the Collectors Office with its Tiffany woodwork, Reginald Marsh murals and the 140-ton rotunda dome, designed and built by Rafael Gustavino.

Infinity of Nations Tour - Second Floor; meet in the Great Hall. Tour takes place in the South Gallery.
Mondays, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 1 p.m.
Sundays, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

A 45-minute tour of Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian. This permanent exhibition of some 700 works of Native art from throughout North, Central and South America demonstrates the breadth of the museum's renowned collection and highlights the importance of many of these iconic objects.

To learn more about National Museum of the American Indian New York, visit - www.americanindian.si.edu